Weekend Adventures II

Early Saturday morning I went to the Makola market with Joanna and Jennifer. Makola market sells to mostly Ghanaians as opposed to the markets that sell to tourists. It is a huge market spanning many blocks, stalls both indoors and outdoors. I looked at fabric and bought myself some indigo blue cloth and some batik cloth. My plan is to take them to Joanna's tailor and have him make me dresses. The dresses here are truly amazing, they fit your shape and are very flattering. Now, of course, I don't have much of a shape but I'm hoping the tailor is also a miracle worker. Joanna also bought some cloth and later surprised me with a new dress she had made for me. She is truly a generous and kind soul. I think later I will devote a whole blog entry just to her cooking.

On Sunday morning I went to church with Joanna and Jennifer. A large church with very high ceilings, many people in attendance. I was impressed by the singing and the fundraising for the community. I also enjoyed looking at all the dresses, trying to figure out what would be flattering on an 'athletic' build-- euphemism for flat chested and skinny.

After returning from church I headed out on a solo adventure to see the sights of Accra. Took a taxi to Jamestown Light House and then walked to the National Museum, the Nkrumah Memorial, the Cultural Center, and Independence Square. I have included photos of all the above sights in my Flickr photostream. I really enjoyed spending the hottest part of the day in the National Museum, looking at the exhibits on local dance and weaving, reading about the slave trade, and sometimes sitting just because there was a chair nearby. The gift store was my first sight of what tourists buy in Accra. Funny how everywhere I travel, there are always the prescribed items for the tourist to purchase. Here it is wooden carvings, beads, drums, paintings, and weaving (I'm sure I am forgetting something). And I saw much much more of all this at the Cultural Center, actually a large outdoor market for tourists. And to enjoy being woo'd and sometimes insulted by the market vendors themselves. Sometimes annoying, sometimes fun.

In summary, it was hot. I got sunburned. I bought five painted cards and some beads. Sunday was a good choice for walking the (now) quiet streets. I met a fellow traveler from the U.S. working with the Peace Corps but can't remember her name, like two ships passing in the night. The orange drink I bought and drank at the Nkrumah Memorial was the most wonderful drink I have ever drank.

(Above, Dancing with Nkrumah; Left, Outdoor mural at the Ghana National Museum)